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The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) launches the book “Free European Media” in connection with the conference, barring the same name Free European Media 2018, to take place in Gdansk, Poland.

Hate speech and fake news are rife, citizens are getting more and more confused as propaganda undermines the credibility of our news media, and our fundamental values are under attack. Impartial and accurate journalism is under attack. It is high time to address the importance of uncensored, pluralistic media for the development of our free democracies in Europe.

The conference Free European Media 2018 adresses that challenge and  Nordic Journalist Center is partner in both the conference and launch of the book “Free European Media”. See below the first chapters, edited by Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, President of the European Federation of Journalist.

 

• Poland: Polish media wars

If you want to build an authoritarian state, and more and more evidence suggests that it is precisely what Jarosław Kaczyński wants, one of your key tasks should be gaining control over the flow of information.
Written by Mikołaj Chrzan and Paulina Siegień

Download: Polish media wars (pdf)

 

 

• Turkey: From corrupt bullies to king’s fools

A brief look at the recent history of the media in Turkey: The incredibly high number of journalists in prison – 154 as of the time of writing – which has made Turkey the world’s leading prison of journalists and the massive crackdown and layoffs with nearly 10.000 journalists and media workers out of work since 2016 portrays a clear picture of the current pressure over journalists and the media industry.
Written by Evin Barış Altıntaş and Mehmet Koksal

Download: From corrupt bullies to king’s fools  (pdf)

 

• United Kingdom: British Journalism threatened by State Surveillance

In April 2015 critical newspaper articles started to appear about the Police investigation of a decade-old murder near Glasgow, Scotland. These suggested that, despite spending more than £4m trying to track down Emma Caldwell’s attacker, the failure to secure a conviction was the result of bungling by detectives.
Written by Tim Dawson

Download: British Journalism threatened by State Surveillance  (pdf)

 

• Serbia: Who Rings the Bell?

Three journalists murdered and one assassination attempt in Serbia around millennium. While many aspects of these murders could be discussed, one is beyond debate: Vujasinovic in 1994, Curuvija in 1999 and Pantic in 2001 were murdered because of their work and by – or under the veil of – the State.
Written by Maja Vasic-Nikolic

Download: Who Rings the Bell? (pdf)

 

• Russia: Free Media in danger – 
Self-Censorship and Lack of Solidarity

In 2017 the Supreme Court of Russian Federation made a significant decision: All accusations and previous legal actions against Elena Nadtoka, editor of private local newspaper from Rostov Region were regarded as illegal, and it obliged local courts responsible for it and urged them to change their verdicts. This took place after a final verdict of European Court of Human Rights.
Written by Nadezda Azhgikhina

Download: Free Media in danger – Self-Censorship and Lack of Solidarity (pdf)

 

• Denmark: 40 registered logs of my phone in one day

During a random day in January my phone’s location is registered 40 times. This is due to the Danish Data Retention Law, which obliges the telecommunication companies to monitor the citizens’ location at all times a day on behalf of the government, and in clear violation of EU law.
Written by Freja Wedenborg

Download: 40 registered logs of my phone in one day  (pdf)

 

• Greece: Muzzling the press

 

I have always said that Idomeni is the shame of Greece and the shame of all of Europe. Today, another page is written in this book of shame for Idomeni: the page of muzzling the media, a page reminiscent of times past, a times when newspapers in Greece had to secure the nod of the censorship committee before going to press.
Written by Antonis Repanas

Download: Muzzling the press  (pdf)

 

• Czech Republic: Public insulting of journalists by Czech leaders

  

Prime minister accused of grant fraud, the vice-chairman of the Chamber of Deputies sued of antisemitism and holocaust denial, the president permanently assaulting and publicly insulting journalists. This is going on in the heart of Europe – in the Czech Republic. And situation in media?
Written by Lucie Sykorova

Download: Public insulting of journalists by Czech leaders

Lucie Sykorova, Czech journalist. Photo Ladislav Vaindl

 

• Azerbaijan: Bullet for Critics, Free Housing for Propagandists

Azerbaijan is an oil and gas-rich country on the western shore of the
Caspian Sea, which gained formal independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. With its utterly gorgeous capital, designer boutiques, ultra-modern skyscrapers, luxurious resorts, and perhaps the best music festivals in the region, Azerbaijan still resembles the Soviet Union as the regime there has managed to “preserve” and even further embrace the very Soviet culture of repression and censorship of free press and critics.
Written by Gulnara Akhundova

Khadija Ismayilova. Photo credit:Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety

Download: Bullet for Critics, Free Housing for Propagandists

 

The Free European Media Conference 2018 is organized by European Federation of Journalists, Council of Europe, Nordic Journalist Centre, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom and the International Press Institute. Supported by Helsingin Sanomat Foundation.

Photo Credit : Demonstration i Warszawa, Solidarnosc Polen. Photo polennu.dk